I gave this recipe 4 stars but with a few changes it is a 5. I am the kitchen manager for a rescue mission and have to feed alot of people on a small budget. And this dish is definetly a low cost meal that delivers big results. Here are the changes I made - first I sauteed together chopped onions, celery & carrots - which is called a mirepoix. Then I added the flour and then milk with some chicken stock. To this I added additional seasoning - garlic powder, thyme, rosemary, and sage. Then I added canned vegetables and canned chicken. Of course fresh would be better - but I use what comes in the back door - so we get alot of canned items. The consistency is like thick gravy. Then I poured this mixture into my pans. I have a bakery mix that is much like Bisquick I used to make the biscuit mixture. In reading the other reviews I noticed that the same issue kept coming up - the biscuits were done on top but still gooey/runny on the bottom. So I made my biscuit mixture a little on the "sloppy" side - not runny like pancake batter - and not doughy like biscuit dough - but somewhere in the middle- "gloppy". Then I spooned the biscuit batter on top of the chicken mixture in spoonfuls that left about a inch space around the "glop" as the glop will rise and expand as it cooks. It is important to leave a little room around your glops as this allows the biscuits to cook through. I got sloppy with my glops on the last pan and put them too close together and they didn't cook all the way th

Reviewed On: Apr. 27, 2009

I also changed the recipe as others - reduced the baking powder to 2 tsps.- changed the shortening to butter and increased it to 1/2 cup - increased the sugar to 1/4 cup and added 1 tsp. vanilla extract. I also used half&half milk for a richer taste. This recipe is the old-fashioned version of short cake. It has a taste very much like scones. I hope these suggestions help others - put all your dry ingredients in a bowl and use a whisk to blend the ingredients. Have your butter at room temperature. I used a wired pastry blender to mix - the texture will be "fine" & feathery - not coarse. Make a well and add your wet ingredients and combine just until they come together. As with any biscuit recipe you don't want to over work it or your dough gets tough. I "floured" my hands with confectioner sugar and separated my dough into 8 equal mounds -then rolled each mound in the powdered sugar and fashioned into a biscuit. I allowed an inch around each biscuit as they will get larger as they bake. This recipe will make 8 "catshead" (large) biscuits. For the BEST whip cream - use heavy (or whipping) cream - to 2 cups heavy cream add 1 tsp. vanilla ext. and during the whipping add 1/2 cup powdered sugar. I made 55 shortcakes for a ladies lunch - Big Success!

Reviewed On: Apr. 20, 2008

Used this recipe for a great finish to a dinner party and it was a big HIT! I did use ramekins and filled them 3/4 of the way - which increases the baking time by about 5 minutes. This recipe will fill 6 ramekins. I also added a teaspoon of instant coffee and a teaspoon of cocoa powder to the chocolate mixture. These additions will deepen & enhance the chocolate flavor. I put the ramekins on a sheet pan and baked them as we started dinner and when it was time for dessert - they were done and had cooled just enough to add fresh berries and serve. This dessert is a winner in many ways - you can (& should) make the batter ahead of time -fill your ramekins and store in fridge, it is an easy recipe to follow and great results. A WIN / WIN situation! 2 thumbs up!

Reviewed On: Mar. 18, 2007